Stages of the 2014 Giro Rosa

Jul 2, 2014

1 of 10

Prologue: Caserta, July 4, 2.05km

This prologue is blink-and-you’ll-miss-it short, but it’s sure to be spectacular: Caserta’s famous castle, known as the Italian Versailles, provides the backdrop for the start. Adding to the drama, the prologue will take place in the evening. The course runs out-and-back over flat terrain on the Corso Trieste.

The results are unlikely to figure in the overall, but it offers a chance for the power riders to shine. Riders with track backgrounds such as Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle-Honda) or Lizzie Armitstead (Boels-Dolmans) are good bets for the win. And of course, never count out Olympic and World Champion Marianne Vos (Rabobank-Liv), who will be looking to establish an early lead ahead of climbing specialists such as defending champion Mara Abbott (UnitedHealthcare) before the mountain stages.

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Stage 1: Santa Maria a Vico Circuit Race, July 5, 95.2km

Riders will complete 11 laps of an 8.6-kilometer circuit. The course includes a narrow, switchbacking climb that offers panoramic views of the city, followed by a descent to a flat finish.

If a team like UnitedHealthcare, Specialized-lululemon, or Rabobank-Liv wants to turn the screws, it could be difficult for the pure sprinters like Bronzini or Kirsten Wild (Liv-Shimano) to survive to the finish. If the race splits up, it might be a perfect stage for a fast finisher such as Specialized-lululemon’s Carmen Small. Or, of course, Marianne Vos.

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Stage 2: Frattamaggiore Circuit Race, July 6, 120km

Frattamaggiore is built on a flat plain, inland from Naples—not a stage for the climbers. The stage starts and finishes near the picturesque Piazza Umberto I. Riders will race six laps of a 20-kilometer urban circuit. It’s the sprinters’ day to play, so watch for riders such as Giorgia Bronzini, Kirsten Wild, and Hannah Barnes (UnitedHealthcare). General classification riders will need to be watchful here. The urban streets are narrow and the usual hazards—potholes, grates, and roundabouts—lie in wait to catch the unwary.

The longest stage of the race heads north from Caserta to San Donato Val di Comino, which sits in one of the main passes through the Apennine mountains. The first 78 kilometers of the stage run across mostly flat terrain. Just outside Cassino, the course takes a detour off the main highway and climbs to the Belmonte Castello.

Belmonte is a Category 2 climb and the narrow road switchbacks for nine kilometers before reaching the summit. It’s a good spot for a breakaway attempt, though it will take a determined group of riders to stay away for the remaining 40 kilometers. The smaller squads—each team sends just six riders to the Giro, as opposed to nine at the men’s Tour de France—give the attackers a better chance of making it to the finish.

Expect a positioning battle among the pink jersey favorites ahead of the climb to Belmonte. The roads are narrow and it’s long enough to open up splits in the field. Riders like Abbott, Vos, Emma Pooley (Lotto-Belisol), and Elisa Longo Borghini (Hitec-Products) will need to be attentive here.

The stage finishes with five kilometers of climbing into San Donato Val di Comino. It’s unlikely that anyone will lose the Giro here, but the climb is an invitation for a cheeky escape. It’s a good stage for Evie Stevens (Specialized-lululemon) to try her luck, and her fast finish might give her an edge if she can get away with a small group. She’ll have to watch out for Vos, though, who will almost certainly be looking for the same move.

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Stage 4: Alba Adriatica to Jesi, July 8, 118km

The Giro Rosa transfers east to Italy’s Adriatic Coast for one of the most picturesque days of racing. The coastal roads run mostly flat in this part of Italy, but it’s not all fun and games for the sprinters.

At Loreto, the course turns inland, and with nine kilometers to go, there’s a Category 3 climb on the menu. It’s around five kilometers long, and the climb summits with nine kilometers left to race. The final ascent offers the perfect spot for a stage-winning attack.

This is classic Italian racing—a final climb that all but guarantees a high-speed drag race to the finish. It also means this stage is nearly impossible to predict.

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Stage 5: Jesi to Cesenatico, July 9, 118.3km

The sprinters will be much happier to see the profile for Stage 5, and the coastal views should be gorgeous for most of the day.

As the race passes through Pesaro, there’s a three-kilometer climb on the profile, but with 30 kilometers left to race, it should not do much to influence the stage outcome. The stage finishes in Cesenatico to celebrate the life of the late Italian climber Marco Pantani, who was born in nearby Cesena. Expect a bunch sprint.

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Stage 6: Gaiarine to San Fior, July 10, 112km

Now that the sprinters have had their fun the Giro turns to the business of climbing. Stage 6 is the first of three potentially decisive mountain stages. It includes three categorized climbs: the short-but-steep Muro Ca’ del Poggio; a six-kilometer climb in Vittoria Veneto; and La Salita dei Carbonai, the main difficulty of the day.

The Mur Ca’ del Poggio is less than two kilometers in length, but it pitches up to 13 percent. Given what’s to come, this climb isn’t likely to be decisive, but it may mean an early trip to the gruppetto for some riders. The second climb comes at kilometer 53 and road rises around 250 meters over six kilometers. There’s nothing to fear here, but it will make the final climb that much more difficult.

The principal climb, the Salita dei Carbonai, begins after 71 kilometers of racing. It’s 13 kilometers of steady 8-percent gradient. To add to the adventure, there is a section of gravel road near the summit. There will certainly be a selection on the Carbonai and it’s a good opportunity for the climbers to make their mark on the race. Still, there are 26 kilometers of descending and flat racing between the summit and the finish in San Fior. A good descender could undo the hard efforts of the climbers.

This is an important stage for general classification contenders, and it’s a place for defending champion Mara Abbott to make her mark. Vos, Pooley, Stevens, and the other favorites should also be at the front here. The long descent gives Vos an edge—she attacked on the descent off the Passo di Mortirolo to win a stage in the 2011 Giro—and it’ll take a hard effort on the climb to count her out.

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Stage 7: Aprica to Chiavenna, July 11, 91.8km

This short transition stage starts with a neutral descent from Aprica. The official start comes in Teglio, with a gradual seven-kilometer climb. There’s another short, uncategorized climb as the race enters Tresivio. Then, it’s a long, flat 50 kilometers. The final 10 kilometers of the stage are uphill, with a steep jump to the pavé finish. Expect narrow roads and a battle for position ahead of the final climb to the line.

It’s a good day to go stage hunting in the breakaway today, though the general classification teams will likely keep the escape on a tight leash. With the short stage, it’s not a smart move to let the clock run up too far; there simply isn’t time to chase back a big gap. Although the profile is not especially difficult, the short distance and uphill finish will likely make for nervous racing.

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Stage 8: Verbania to Varzo San Domenico, July 12, 90.3km

One of the most important stages for the general classification, Stage 8 finishes with an 11-kilometer climb from Varzo to San Domenico, which also appeared in last year’s Giro Rosa. This is Mara Abbott territory. Here’s Abbott’s perspective:

"I am excited to do this climb for the second time in a row. It's pretty rare in the Giro to get the chance to see a section in back-to-back years, so it’s great to go in with the local knowledge already. This climb is interesting because it is varied in pitches and terrain... some steep sections, some switchbacks, and some steady, straight grade. That means there are a variety of ways to ride it."

The gradients on this final climb run in the 8-to-10 percent range. It’s made to order for the pure climbers such as Abbott and Pooley. Last year, Vos was dropped early, and had lost minutes by the finish. If there’s a place to beat the world’s top rider, it’s here. This stage could well decide the Giro.

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Stage 9: Trezzo sull’Adda to Magreglio, July 13, 80.1km

The Giro Rosa finishes with an eye-candy stage on the roads around Lake Como. The route covers some of the same territory as the men’s Giro di Lombardia. It passes through Casatenova and Orggiono, then runs along Lake Como from Lecco to Bellagio, and finishes with the legendary climb to the Madonna del Ghisallo

From Bellagio, it’s 11 kilometers of climbing to the finish. The ascent starts easily enough, but after the first two kilometers, it tilts up steeply and stays in the 9-percent range for the next five kilometers. An easier section follows, which could allow a regrouping, but the climb ends with a kilometer of steeper gradients.

After the long climb to San Domenico, the hierarchy among the general classification riders should be clear, but there is still plenty to play for on this final stage. If the time gaps are close, the final climb will decide the Giro. If not, it should still make for competitive racing. Riders such as Vos, Stevens, Longo Borghini, and Abbott will all be vying for a chance to win on the storied climb.

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